حطوا الرحال فقد أودى بها الرحل — Abn Almqrb Alaaona

حُطُّوا الرِحالَ فَقَد أَودى بِها الرَحلُ

ما كُلِّفَت سَيرَها خَيلٌ وَلا إِبلُ

Set down the saddles, for journeying has worn them out;

no horses or camels were ever burdened with such a journey.

بَلَغتُمُ الغايَةَ القُصوى فَحَسبُكُمُ

هَذا الَّذي بِعُلاهُ يُضرَبُ المَثَلُ

You have reached the furthest goal; enough for you!

This is he whose eminence is proverbial.

هَذا هُوَ المَلكُ بَدرُ الدِينِ خَيرُ فَتىً

بِهِ تَعَلَّقَ لِلرّاجي الغِنى أَمَلُ

This is King Badr al-Din, the finest of men,

in whom the wealth-seeker's hope is anchored.

هَذا الَّذي لَو يُباري فَيضَ راحَتِهِ

فَيضُ البِحارِ لما أَضحى لَها بَلَلُ

This is he whose palm's abundance, were it rivaled by

the abundance of the seas, would leave them with no moisture.

هَذا الَّذي لَو لِلَيثِ الغابِ نَجدَتُهُ

ما حَلَّ إِلّا بِحَيثُ الشِيحُ وَالنَفَلُ

This is he whose courage, were it the forest lion's,

would make it dwell only where wormwood and trefoil grow.

هَذا الَّذي بِالنَدى وَالبَأسِ يَعرِفُهُ

وَبِالتُقى كُلُّ مَن يَحفى وَيَنتَعِلُ

This is he whom generosity and valor make known,

and piety, to everyone who goes barefoot or wears shoes.

هَذا الهُمامُ الَّذي أَقصى مَطالِبِهِ

ما لا يُحدُّ وَأَدنى هَمِّهِ زُحَلُ

This is the valiant lord whose furthest ambitions

are boundless, and whose lowest aspiration is Saturn.

الناسُ كُلُّهُمُ هَذا وَلا عَجَبٌ

الخَلقُ أَفضَلُ مِنهُم كُلِّهِم رَجُلُ

All mankind is this one man—and no wonder:

one man excels all the rest of creation.

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ جاءَ الدَهرُ مُعتَذِراً

إِلَيَّ يَسأَلُني العُتبى وَيَبتَهِلُ

God is greatest! Time has come apologizing

to me, asking my pardon and pleading.

وَقَبلُ كَم سامَني خَسفاً وَألزَمَني

ما لَيسَ لِي ناقَةٌ فيه وَلا جَمَلُ

How often before it subjected me to humiliation and imposed on me

matters in which I had neither she-camel nor he-camel!

فَآهِ يا دَهرُ هَلّا كانَ عُذرُكَ ذا

وَلَم يَغِب عَن عَياني الجشُّ وَالجَبَلُ

Ah, Time! Why was this not your apology

while al-Jishsh and al-Jabal were still before my eyes?

الشُكرُ في ذا لِمولىً أَنتَ لا كَذِباً

عَبدٌ لَهُ كُلُّ مَن يَهواهُ يَمتَثِلُ

For this, thanks are due to a lord to whom you are, truly,

a slave; all who love him obey.

وَكُلُّ مَن فَوقَ ظَهرِ الأَرضِ مِن مَلِكٍ

وَسَوقَةٍ فَلِسامي مَجدِهِ خَوَلُ

And everyone upon the earth's back, kings

and commoners alike, is a servant to his lofty glory.

أَبو الفَضائِلِ أَولى الناسِ كُلِّهِمُ

بِما يُكَنّى بِهِ فَليُترَكِ الجَدَلُ

Abu al-Fada'il is, of all mankind, most worthy

of his honorific; let argument be abandoned.

الخَيلُ تَعرِفُ يَومَ الرَوعِ صَولَتَهُ

بِحَيثُ في مُلتَقاها يَبطُلُ البَطَلُ

The horses know his onslaught on the day of terror,

where, amid their clash, even the champion is undone.

كَم فارِسٍ تَحتَ ظِلِّ النَقعِ غادَرَهُ

بِضَربَةٍ لَم يَشِن أُخدُودَها فَشَلُ

How many a horseman beneath the shadow of dust he left

with a stroke whose furrow no weakness marred!

تَخالُهُ أَحوالاً مِمّا بِهامَتِهِ

وَقَبلُ لا حَولٌ فيهِ وَلا قَبَلُ

You would think him cross-eyed from the wound upon his crown,

though before he had neither squint nor inward eye-turn.

يَقُولُ حينَ يَشُقُّ السَيفُ هامَتَهُ

لِزَوجَتي وَلأُمّي الوَيلُ وَالهَبَلُ

He says, as the sword cleaves his crown,

'Woe and bereavement to my wife and mother!'

وَيَستَديرُ وَيَهذي في اِستِدارَتِهِ

حَتّى يُخالُ بِهِ مِن قَبلِها تُؤَلُ

He spins and raves as he turns,

until one thinks he had been mad even before it.

وَالنَسرُ في الجَوِّ ما يَألُو يَقُولُ لَهُ

لِكُلِّ نَفسٍ وَإِن طالَ المَدى أَجَلُ

And the vulture in the sky keeps telling him:

'Every soul, however long its span, has an appointed end.'

وَكَم لَهُ ضربَةٍ يَقضي المُصابُ بِها

وَالنَصلُ يَعمَلُ فيهِ قَبلَ يَنفَصِلُ

How many a blow of his makes the stricken man die,

while the blade still works within him, before it withdraws!

مَحضُ الضَريبَةِ مَيمُونُ النَقِيبَةِ طَع

عان الكَتيبَةِ لا غَمرٌ وَلا وَكِلُ

Pure in disposition, fortunate in temperament, a mighty

piercer of battalions, neither inexperienced nor helpless;

كَهلُ الشَبيبَةِ نَهّابُ الحَريبَةِ وَه

هاب الرَغيبَةِ هَشٌّ بِالنَدى عَجِلُ

mature in youth, a plunderer of wealth, a lavish

giver of prized gifts, cheerful and swift in generosity;

ماضي العَزيمَةِ عَيّافُ الغَنيمَةِ تَر

راكَ الجَريمَةِ نِكلٌ لِلعِدى نَكِلُ

resolute in purpose, disdainful of plunder, a steadfast

forsaker of wrongdoing, a scourge to foes, formidable.

أَرسى قَواعِدَ مُلكٍ لَو يُدَبِّرُهُ

كِسرى وَإِسكَندَرٌ أَعيَتهُمُ الحِيَلُ

He secured the foundations of a kingdom that, had it been governed by

Kisra and Alexander, would have defeated their stratagems,

مِن بَعدِ أَن قِيلَ ضاعَ المُلكُ وَاِنفَصَمَت

مِنهُ العُرى وَاِستوى الرِئبالُ وَالوَرلُ

after it was said, 'The kingdom is lost, and broken

are its bonds; lion and monitor lizard stand equal.'

وَقالَ قَومٌ تَوَلّى المُلكَ مُنصَرِفاً

عَن أَهلِهِ وَكَذا الدُولاتُ تَنتَقِلُ

Some said, 'Sovereignty has departed,

turning from its people; thus dynasties change hands.'

تَبّاً لِحَدسٍ سَما كُلَّ التَبابِ وَلا

زالَت عُقولُهُمُ يَعتادُها الخَبَلُ

Ruin to a conjecture surpassing all ruin! And may

madness never cease to revisit their minds!

أَما دَرَوا أَنَّ بَدرَ الدِّينِ لَو رُدِيَت

بِهِ الشَواهِقُ لَم يَعقِل بِها وَعَلُ

Did they not know that, were Badr al-Din brought to bear

against the towering peaks, no ibex could shelter on them?

وَكَيفَ يُخشى عَلى مَلكٍ وَقَد ضُرِبَت

لِمَجدِهِ في ذُراهُ الخيمُ وَالكِلَلُ

How can one fear for a king when there have been pitched

for his glory, upon his heights, tents and canopies?

مَلكٌ تَحَمَّلَ ما لا يَستَطيعُ لَهُ

حَملاً ثَبيرٌ وَثَهلانٌ فَيَحتَملُ

A king who bears what cannot be

borne by Thabir or Thahlan, yet he bears it.

جَوادُهُ بارِقٌ وَالعَزمُ صاعِقَةٌ

وَسَيفُهُ قَدرٌ في لَحظِهِ أَجَلُ

His steed is lightning, his resolve a thunderbolt,

his sword is fate, and in his glance is death.

غَدا بِهِ المُلكُ بِالجَوزاءِ مَنتَطِقاً

وَراحَ وَهوَ بِظَهرِ الحُوتِ مُنتَعِلُ

Through him, kingship dawned with al-Jawza for a girdle,

and at evening was shod upon the Fish's back.

إِذا شُمُوسُ مَواضيهِ طَلَعنَ فَما

لَهُنَّ إِلّا بِهاماتِ العِدى أَفَلُ

When the suns of his keen blades rise, they have

no setting place except the heads of foes.

وَإِن نُجومُ عَوالِيهِ لَمَعنَ فَما

يَغِبنَ إِلّا بِحَيثُ الغِشُّ وَالدَغَلُ

And when the stars of his spearheads gleam, they

vanish only where deceit and treachery lurk.

مِقدامُ مَعرَكَةٍ كَشّافُ تَهلُكَةٍ

طَلّابُ مَملَكَةٍ تَسمُو بِها الدُوَلُ

Foremost in battle, dispeller of mortal peril,

seeker of a kingdom through which dynasties rise.

وَيَوم نَحسٍ يُواري الشَمسَ عِثيَرُهُ

حَتّى يُخالُ الضُحى قَد غالَهُ الأُصُلُ

On a day of ill omen, whose dust conceals the sun,

until one thinks the morning has been swallowed by dusk,

كَأَنَّما البِيضُ راحَت وَهيَ مُصلَتَةٌ

فِيهِ بَوارِقُ غَيثٍ رَعدُهُ زَجَلُ

it was as though the bright swords, drawn and bared,

were flashes of a raincloud whose thunder was clamor.

وَالسُمرُ قَد جَعَلَت تَحكي أَسِنَّتَها

كَواكِبَ القَذفِ وَالفُرسانُ تَنتَصِلُ

The brown lances had begun, with their points, to mimic

shooting stars, while the horsemen drew their blades.

وَالنَبلُ في الجَوِّ تَحكي لِلمُشَبِّهِهِ ال

كبرِيتَ في رُوسِهِ النِيرانُ تَشتَعِلُ

And arrows in the air resemble, to one comparing them, the

sulfur with fires blazing at its tips.

سَما لَهُ مِشيَةَ الرِئبالِ لا خَوَرٌ

يَشِينُهُ في تَهادِيهِ وَلا كَسَلُ

He advanced to meet that day with a lion's gait; no weakness

marred his stately stride, nor any sloth.

بِصارِمٍ لَو عَلا ضَرباً بِهِ حَضناً

لَقِيلَ كانَ قَديماً ها هُنا جَبَلُ

With a keen sword that, had he brought it down upon Hadan,

would have prompted, 'Long ago a mountain stood right here.'

إِذا بَدا ضاحِكاً في يَومِ مَعرَكَةٍ

بِكَفِّهِ بَكَتِ الأَعناقُ وَالقُلَلُ

When it appears laughing on a day of battle

in his palm, necks and heads weep.

فَصَكَّ هامَ العِدى صَكّاً بِهِ مُقَلٌ

قَرَّت لِأَن سَخِنَت مِن وَقعِهِ مُقَلُ

He smote the heads of foes with blows at which eyes

were cooled with joy, as other eyes burned from their impact.

طَودٌ إِذا لَم يَكُن في الحِلمِ مَفسَدَةٌ

وَإِن يُهَج فَالسَبنتى ظَلَّ يَأتَكِلُ

A mountain when forbearance holds no harm,

but if provoked, a fierce lion aflame with rage.

بَحرٌ يُواري الرُبى وَالقُورَ مُزبدُهُ

وَإِنَّما البَحرُ تَشبيهاً بِهِ وَشَلُ

A sea whose foam submerges hills and flat-topped heights;

the sea, compared with him, is only a trickle.

إِن عُدَّ جُودٌ فَمَن كَعبٌ وَمَن هَرِمٌ

أَو عُدَّ مَجدٌ فَمَن حصنٌ وَمَن حَمَلُ

If generosity is reckoned, who are Ka'b and Harim?

Or if glory is reckoned, who are Hisn and Hamal?

يا عاذِلاً لامَهُ في البَذلِ دَعهُ وَسِر

مَن يَعشَقِ الجُودَ لَم يَعلَق بِهِ العَذَلُ

O censor who blamed him for giving, leave him and go;

blame cannot cling to one enamored of generosity.

وَلا تُفَنِّد كَريماً عَن سَجِيَّتِهِ

حُسنُ السَجِيّاتِ مِن رَبِّ العُلى نِحَلُ

Nor reproach a generous man to turn him from his nature;

good dispositions are gifts from the Lord on high.

طابَت بِهِ المَوصِلُ الحَدباءُ وَاِتَّسَعَت

لِساكِنِيها بِها الأَرزاقُ وَالسُبُلُ

Through him Mosul, the Humpbacked, grew fair and prospered,

with ample livelihoods and open roads for its inhabitants.

وَأَصبَحَت جَنَّةً لا يَبتَغي حِوَلا

قُطّانُها لَو إِلى دارِ البَقا نُقِلُوا

It became a paradise, with no wish to leave it

among its dwellers, even if moved to the abode of eternity.

وَحَسبُهُ مَفخَراً أَنَّ الإِمامَ بِهِ

بَرٌّ وَأَنَّ لَدَيهِ شَأنَهُ جَلَلُ

It is pride enough for him that the Imam toward him

is kindly, and that his standing with him is exalted.

إِمامُنا الناصِرُ الهادي فَما اِختَلَفَت

فِيهِ العِبادُ وَما جاءَت بِهِ الرُسُلُ

Our Imam, al-Nasir, the guide—concerning him there is no discord

between the faithful and what the messengers brought.

خَليفَةٌ قَسَماً لَولا مَحَبَّتُهُ

لَما تُقُبِّلَ مِن ذي طاعَةٍ عَمَلُ

A caliph—I swear! Were it not for love of him,

no deed of any obedient worshipper would be accepted.

هُوَ الَّذي اِفتَرَضَ الرَحمَنُ طاعَتُهُ

وَمن سِواهُ فَلا فَرضٌ وَلا نَفَلُ

He is the one obedience to whom the Most Merciful made obligatory;

for anyone besides him, there is neither obligatory nor voluntary devotion.

فَعاشَ ما شاءَ لا ما شاءَ حاسِدُهُ

في دَولَةٍ نَجمُها بِالسَعدِ مُتَّصِلُ

May he live as he wishes, not as his envier wishes,

in a reign whose star is joined to good fortune.

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُغني بِنائِلِهِ

إِذا المُلوكُ بِأَدنى نائِلٍ بَخِلُوا

O king who enriches others with his gifts,

when kings begrudge even the smallest gift,

إِلَيكَ مِن بَلَدِ البَحرَينِ أَنهَضَني

هَمٌّ لَهُ أَنفُسُ الأَشرافِ تُبتَذَلُ

toward you, from the land of Bahrain, I was impelled

by a purpose for which noble souls are freely spent.

كَم جُبتُ دُونكَ مِن مَجهُولَةٍ قَذَفٍ

تِيهٍ قَليلٌ بِها حلٌّ وَمُرتَحَلُ

How many unknown, far-flung lands I crossed to reach you,

trackless wastes with few who halt or travel through them!

وَمُزبِدٍ لا يَلَذُّ النَومُ راكِبَهُ

لَهُ إِذا اِضطَرَبَت أَمواجُهُ زَجَلُ

And many a foaming sea whose rider cannot savor sleep,

roaring whenever its waves are stirred!

وَحُسنُ ظَنّي وَما يُثنى عَلَيكَ بِهِ

أَجاءَني وَالزَمانُ المُفسِدُ الخَبِلُ

My good opinion, and the praise bestowed on you,

brought me here, along with ruinous, maddened Time.

شَهرٌ وَشَهرٌ وَشَهرٌ بَعدَ أَربَعَةٍ

لِلمَوجِ وَاليَعمُلاتِ القُودِ بِي عَمَلُ

A month, and a month, and a month after four—

with waves and long-necked, hardy she-camels at work on me.

أَقَلُّها راحَةٌ في غَيرِ مَنفَعَةٍ

وَراحَةٌ لا يُرَجّي نَفعها شُغلُ

The least of them was rest without benefit;

and rest whose benefit is not hoped for is toil.

وَكَم تَخطَّأتُ في قَصدِيكَ مِن مَلِكٍ

لِي عِندَه لَو أَرَدتُ النَهلُ وَالعَلَلُ

How many kings I passed by on my way to you,

with whom, had I wished, first and second draughts awaited me!

أَفنَيتُ زادي وَمَركوبي وَشيَّبَني

عَلى عُتُوِّ جَناني الخَوفُ وَالوَجَلُ

I exhausted my provisions and my mount, and was turned gray,

despite my defiant heart, by fear and dread.

وَقَد بَلَغتُ الجَنابَ الرَحبَ بَعدَ وَجَىً

وَلَيسَ إِلّا عَلى عَلياكَ مُتَّكَلٌ

Now I have reached your spacious court after sore-footed toil,

and have none to rely on but your eminence.

بَقيتَ في عِزَّةٍ قَعساءَ نائِيَةٍ

عَن الحَوادِثِ مَقرُوناً بِها الجَذَلُ

May you endure in unassailable honor, remote

from calamities, with joy joined to it;

وَعاشَ حاسِدُكَ الأَشقى أَخا مَضضِ

وَماتَ في الجِلدِ مِنهُ ذَلِكَ النَغَلُ

and may your most wretched envier live a brother to anguish,

and may that rot die there within his skin.